The present invention relates generally to forming web pages at Internet Content Provider (ICP) web sites, and more specifically to forming web pages for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and organizations having direct access to the Internet.
With the rapid development of information technology and networking infrastructure, Internet users can search through vast amounts of information provided by ICPs via the Internet. Most individual Internet users get access to the Internet by subscribing to Internet services from ISPs. The ISPs furnish the hardware and software to access the Internet for their subscribers. To access the Internet, an individual user first sends a service request to his/her ISP. Upon receiving the service request, the ISP processes the service request for the user who sent it. Usually, ISPs also have their own web sites for their users.
Some organizations, such as corporations, governmental institutions, and universities, have financial and technical resources to install their own hardware and software to access the Internet so that they can be connected to the Internet without using ISPs. Typically, these organizations have Intranet (or local area network) infrastructures for inter-connecting their internal users and for providing the internal users with access to the Internet. These organizations may also have their own web sites for external and internal users.
One main objective of ICPs is to get as many Internet users to visit their web sites as possible, because each time a web page is accessed by a visitor, the ICPs may get revenue for the advertisements contained in the web page. The inventors have been creating and managing web sites for many ICPs. In attempting to attract Internet traffic for their clients"" web sites, the inventors have conducted research to determine traffic patterns flowing into a typical ICP web site. The research data demonstrated that ICP""s web sites have a great potential to attract Internet traffic from ISPs. This is especially true for the ISPs with poor quality web sites, having no local information, news, weather broadcasting, etc. The underline reason is that, unlike ICPs, ISPs usually do not have sufficient resource and expertise to design good quality web sites. Once an ISP user is connected to the Internet via an ISP, the user has the tendency to leave the ISP""s web site and go to ICP""s web sites to search for desired information.
Efforts have been made to persuade some ISPs to use ICPs"" web sites as the default home pages for their subscribers. However, these ISPs declined such offers, noting that they can gain no benefits from this arrangement. In fact, these ISPs felt using an ICP""s home page may have a negative effect on their businesses. For example, a subscribed user who came to an ICP""s web site may see advertisements from competing ISPs, which could result in losing that ISP user.
ICPs can also attract Internet traffic from organizations that have direct access to the Internet. Like ISPs, these organizations also have the same limitations and concerns.
Accordingly, it is desirable to dynamically form customized web pages at an ICP web site to satisfy different needs and requirements for different ISPs and organizations. Such an approach can create a win-win relationship between an ICP and an ISP, or between an ICP and an organization. The ISP, or the organization, could get a much better Internet portal that provides value added services to its subscribers or internal users, without having negative impacts on its business. The ICP, in turn, would receive increased traffic.
There is, therefore, a need for a method and apparatus which enable an ICP to dynamically form customized web pages for ISPs and organizations that have direct access to the Internet.
There is another need for a method and apparatus which enable an ICP to dynamically select advertisements to be included in customized web pages.
The present invention provides the methods and apparatuses to meet these needs.
To address the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides improved methods for dynamically forming customized web pages for ISPs, and organizations that have direct access to the Internet.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for dynamically forming customized web pages for a first type network node at a second type network node. The method comprises the steps of: forming at least a page file for the first type network node; forming at least a page file for the second type network node; receiving a service request from the first type network node; identifying the first type network node; and forming a customized page file formed for the first type network node by including the page file formed for the first type network node within the page file formed for the second type network node.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for providing web page customization service to a plurality of first type network nodes at a second type network node. The method comprises the steps of: forming at least a page file for each of the first type network nodes; forming at least a page file for the second type network node; receiving a service request from one of the first type network nodes; determining whether the first type network node participates in the web page customization service; if the first type network node participates in the web page customization service, forming a customized page file for the service request by including the page file formed for the first type network node within the page file formed for the second type network node; and if the first type network node does not participate in the web page customization service, forming a page file for the service request by using the page file formed for the second type network node.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a method for providing web page customization service to a plurality of first type network nodes at a second type network node. The method comprises the steps of: forming a plurality of advertisements for the first type network nodes; forming at least a page file for the second type network node; receiving a service request from one of the first type network nodes; identifying advertisements for the first type network node; and forming a customized page file for the first type network node by including the identified advertisements within the page file formed for the second type network node.
The present invention also provides the apparatuses for performing the corresponding methods as recited above.